If you are looking for details about our Spring and Summer 2026 courses, you have come to the right place. Registration for all Spring courses begins March 9. Summer registration starts June 8.
OLLI Summer 2026 Courses
*Zoom recordings will be available for a limited time.
Mondays
Elvis in the 1950s, Richie Unterberger
July 6 – 27 | 10–11:40 a.m. (four Mondays)
In 1956, Elvis Presley became early rock’n’roll’s biggest superstar with the #1 hit “Heartbreak Hotel,” followed by huge smashes like “Hound Dog,” “All Shook Up,” and “Jailhouse Rock.” This four-session course details his seismic impact on both popular music and youth culture, starting with his rise to stardom with his innovative fusion of country and blues into rockabilly in 1954 and 1955 with Sun Records in Memphis. His peak years with RCA in 1956 and 1957 are also detailed, along with his entry into movie stardom and the conclusion of his most exciting years with his 1958 induction into the Army.
A Cosmic Buffet - Intriguing Topics in Astronomy
July 6 – 27 | 2–3:40 p.m. (Four Mondays)
Let's look at some of the most interesting, controversial, and newsworthy topics in astronomy, including why Pluto is no longer a planet, the nature of black holes, the goals for the Artemis mission that will return astronauts to walk on the Moon, and astronomy in art!
Tuesdays
10 Artists You Don’t (Yet) Know, Charlie Goldberg
July 7 – 28 | 10–11:40 a.m. (four Tuesdays) IN PERSON/NOT RECORDED
Wednesdays
Current Economic Issues, Jon Haveman
July 8 – 29 | 10–11:40 a.m. (four Wednesdays)
Four Legal Cases
July 8 – 29 | 2–3:40 p.m. (four Wednesdays) IN PERSON/NOT RECORDED
Thursdays
Great Artistic Rivals: Catalysts of Creativity, Bruce Elliott
July 9 – 30 | 10–11:40 a.m. (four Thursdays) IN PERSON/NOT RECORDED
Historically, the spur of competition often impelled artists to their greatest creations. Examining both temperament and technique, each session will highlight key contrasts between the two towering artistic giants of their era:
- High Renaissance: Raphael vs. Michelangelo
- Venetian Renaissance: Tintoretto vs. Titian
- Baroque Period: Rubens vs. Caravaggio
- Romanticism: Delacroix vs. Ingres
Fridays
Current Issues, Various speakers
July 10 – 31 | 10–11:40 a.m. (four Fridays) IN PERSON/NOT RECORDED
Osher Online
Osher Online is a set of online-only (on Zoom, not recorded) courses provided by the National OLLI network, based at Northwestern University in Chicago. Dominican OLLI Basic members may select any number of these for a fee of $90 per course. Premium and Session members pay $50. All Osher Online Courses are 6 weeks long, on Zoom, and not recorded.
To participate:
Become a Dominican OLLI member.
Review the course/seminar listing below.
Questions? Contact us at olli@dominican.edu or call (415) 458-3763.
Mondays
The Indispensable Founder: George Washington
July 13 – August 17 | 10 a.m.
As America celebrates 250 years of independence, this course will examine the indispensable founder, George Washington. We will explore Washington's life and political leadership as well as his work as a farmer, entrepreneur, and architect.
Tuesdays
Broadway Musicals: A Fascinating History
July 21 – August 25 | 2 p.m.
In this course, we will explore book musicals, concept musicals, and the arrival of European mega-productions late in the century.
Discovering Portugal
July 7 – August 11 | 10 a.m.
In this course, we will explore how a tiny nation – Portugal – played an outsized role in world history.
Wednesdays
Women Architects and Designers
July 15 – August 26 | 10 a.m.
Often overlooked in traditional design and architecture courses, Twentieth Century women designers profoundly shaped the way we perceive, experience, and enjoy our built environments, interiors, and decorative objects.
Thursdays
Revolutionary Echoes in Washington DC
July 9 – August 13 | 10 a.m.
This course will explore how individuals in Washington, D.C. used the Declaration and its ideas after independence was won.